Celticcs announcer:
"No disrespect to the Knicks but the Celtics are playing the CELTICS tonight."
What does that mean? How is that not disrespect?
I turned the game on about mid-way through the 2nd qtr and the Knicks were up by 15 and stretched it to 22, so I did not hear the above statement, but I think it meant the Celts have done a pretty good job of beating themselves over the past 2 weeks with mostly terrible offense and terrible (3 pt) shooting.
Tonight it seems they've tried to overlay no D atop of terrible shooting.
Getting close to the time for a team shrink (Dr and lost minutes for some guys).
NO.
I strongly disagree.
I remember thinking during the first half: "What the Knicks are doing and how they are playing AS A TEAM, more closely resembles CLASSIC CELTICS BALL than what the Celtics themselves are doing."
Oh, and the notion that the Celtics defeated themselves.
Like all of those missed threes occurred in a vacuum?
I BEG TODifferThe Knicks played with a focused defensive tenacity throughout.
Fizz's current deployment of the starting lineup and the second unit...WORKED.
Everyone made a contribution and felt involved.
Mudiay [PG] Hardaway [SG], Hezonja [SF], Vonleh [PF], Kanter [C]
I like this unit coming off the bench.
Burke [PG], Trier/Hardaway [SG] Ntilikina [SF], Knox [PF], Robinson/Vonleh [C].
And I mean...I like the idea of Mudiay starting and Trey coming in off the pine. Gives us a lift.
Take a bow, KEMBA BURKE.
Would
Not
Let
Us
LOSEOkay. That felt good. Because
the Celtics are a damn good team, going through changes, much as the Warriors are, much as Houston did. Hey, the CELTICS MADE ONE HELL OF A LATE RUN. And we bent but did not buckle, as we did against the Pelicans and Blazers, both of whom we played tough, but couldn't close out.
Enjoy the holiday, Knicks, and let's see what we can bring against the Pelicans, who have a more dominating bell-cow/big in Davis, and a better set of three point shooters.
PS: Anyone notice at game's end, who were the two Knicks with the biggest smiles and the most
nachas for Trey Burke...Emmanual Mudiay and Frank Ntilikina, that's who. Go FIZZ. Go KNICKS.